Teacher & author providing outstanding academic tuitions in English, Classics and History up to University level. Professional English Language teacher working with a range from B1 - C2. Specialising

Find out more about Christie

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My passion for literature and history began at a very young age. My father bought me the strategy game, Age of Empires. As a little boy, the descriptions and cutscenes detailing the colonisation of the Greek archipelago, the war for Helen, Hannibal's trek over the Alps, and Rome's rise to power fascinated me. The dramatised scenes about the lives of Joan of Arc, Saladin, and William Wallace kindled in me a hunger for knowledge of the past. My Irish ancestry meant that song and poetry were a common feature of family life. Through this, and my father's passion for the works of Tolkien and his love of science fiction, I developed a lifelong appreciation for language and story, both written and spoken. All that said, I've had struggles with learning and had a private reading tutor at one point. The difference it made to my life cannot be overstated. Later, my college teachers in History, Literature, and Classical Civilisation left a deep impression on me with their vast knowledge, passion for their subject, and incredible patience. It was their example that ultimately inspired me to become a teacher. Tutoring offers a more direct opportunity to build a relationship with students and make an impact by bringing the subject to life in a focused and privileged setting.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I stick to my three A-Level subjects, which informed my degree in English and History and which I continue to teach. Classical Civilisation is a combination of ancient Roman and Greek history and literature. We studied works such as Cicero's Letters, the life and times of Julius Caesar, Virgil's Aeneid, and Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. I am deeply passionate about poetry and continue to write and study poetry in my own time. I also study the modern novel and conduct research with my uncle, a professor of English at Yonsei University in South Korea.

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  Yes, as I mentioned, my A-Level teachers and several of my professors at university were instrumental in my decision to become a teacher. They continue to influence my teaching style and approach, in which I strive to be as informed and generous with my energy and knowledge as possible, while providing a rigorous environment for training in the practical and mental skills needed to succeed.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  A passion for one's subject seems to me to be the key ingredient. Tutoring is one-on-one and presents a dynamic in which you cannot hide. Therefore, a genuine appreciation for the subject is essential to capture the student's interest and engage their curiosity. Then, knowledge and the ability to transfer or communicate that knowledge are close in second place. Lastly, knowledge of and consistent application of the tasks and skills necessary for students to achieve their academic aims are essential. If one can also help the student aim high, look to the horizon, and make the connection between the incremental practice of skills and their broader life goals, then you've got the x factor. As a tutor, that's what I aspire to achieve.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  My Classics teacher, Mrs. Redman, was an amazing woman. She would take us each year to a play put on by students of Classics at Imperial College London. These performances were in ancient Greek and had surtitles, which are like subtitles but displayed on a short screen above the stage. They were usually hilarious, such as Lysistrata, but also compelling. It was experiences like this that kept me going to the National Theatre, where I had the good fortune to see Ralph Fiennes play Oedipus in Oedipus Rex, where he was incredible. Then, some years later, I saw Women of Troy, where they gave a performance that nearly brought the roof down. Another anecdote involves my Literature teacher, Mr. Fitzsimmons. He was a gold bug and had a blog divided approximately fifty-fifty between literature resources for his students and reports on the gold market. Mr. Fitzsimmons was very unassuming and genuinely brilliant. People thought his habit of buying a little gold each month was strange, but he must be a rich man by now. He was certainly an inspiration for me to buy gold and Bitcoin myself as investments.

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or are still facing in your subject?

  Yes, time! One needs an infinite amount of time to continue to update and build one's knowledge, but with a job and two children, this is not always forthcoming. Currently, I am learning ancient Greek through the GCSE platform, which is a lot of fun. However, I have to prioritise my German, as working in a grammar school in Germany requires an excellent command of the language. Time, I would say, is the biggest challenge.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  The deep sense of excitement and reward from helping a student make a breakthrough or arrive at a realisation is still the absolute highlight of being a teacher. All the work in and around it is by turns challenging, fun, difficult, or engaging, but those breakthroughs-seeing a student tackle an essay and show flair and command of the material, or discuss the content and make connections that demonstrate insight or even wisdom-those are the moments one lives for. I'm still extremely passionate about poetry, literature, and history. Those things are what I've built my life around and continue to occupy me in my daily life.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P)?

  Aha! I don't know if I could say! I hope my students would say something about me getting the best out of them, giving them confidence, and revealing to them abilities and strengths they didn't know they had. Perhaps they'd even say that I kindled in them a curiosity or desire to learn and grow.